The thread of; Goofy Things Said At Gun Shops
Got me thinking about the Goofy Things At Gun Shows. I found a recent encounter a bit disturbing, mostly cause it really took me by surprise.

I and two friends were in line waiting to get into a gun show. I was holding bolt action target rifle and as usual, I had good muzzle control with a two hand hold. We were having a nice gun chat and noticed that a guy in front of us, was taking more than casual interest in our conversation. I see him Eye-balling my rifle and that was okay. We were about 50ft. from the front door and casually he reaches for my rifle and opens the bolt. He then tells me that when we I get inside, security will want to inspect and clear the action. Took me all of 3-seconds to figure out what to say. .....

I told him that I knew that, I had muzzle control and the next time he wanted to touch a gun of mine, he better ask permission. Told him if he had any common sense, he would not have done so and it was rude. Then I asked him if he agreed and he just answered; yes and turned around. The guys with me were speechless and later said they thought I might punch the guys. ...

This is my rifle; this is my gun !!Be Safe !!!

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'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

not so goofy but in my case a very good deal, on a table i walked up were a small pile (9 to be exact) of silver dollar sized coins, very tarnished and sorta ugly looking, i instantly recognized them as silver "rounds", i picked one up, WITH PERMISSION, asked how much ?
$4.00 each, was the reply (which would have been $36.00)
i'll give you $25 for all of them.., (i collect all types of coins)
humm.., OK

when i got home i dipped them in vinegar........, lo and behold they showed their original appearance, three of them were what we collectors call "proof", right now just them being silver makes them worth about $25.00 each, the one proof was a Wells Fargo commemorative, present value about $50.00 !!!

I like to see the bolt open too. You may have muzzle control but I don't know you are what you will do when I turn my back. You may be the safest weapons handler in the world, but I don't know that. An open bolt is assurance that there is nothing in the chamber.

I would not have touched your firearm, but I would have ask you to open the bolt. It never hurts to be safe.

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You can have your own opinion but you can't make up your own facts !

The conspiracy nut always seemed to grab my ear, rambling on and on about FEMA camps, something about Yellowstone, World Order, etc. etc. The ramblings all ran together, none of which made any sense. After a couple of minutes, my eyes just glazed over and was trying to figure out how to politely escape the mad ramblings.

Of course, back in the early 1990's there were the "tax protesters" trying to convince people that you didn't have to pay income tax. Yeah, I don't see those guys around anymore....wonder why???

I would not have touched your firearm, but I would have ask you to open the bolt. It never hurts to be safe.

You would have to do that about 500 times to 500 different individuals where I'm at. Are you really prepared to run around and tell this many people to open their bolts? Even when there is no rule or law or requirement about this?

I conceal carry my pistol, up to the time I enter a gun show - yes, it's completely unloaded, but the only person who is going to handle it is the officer at the door checking weapons - in other words, slide is not locked back before having it checked at the door.

I have also brought rifles to gun shows, and never once locked the bolt back on any of them while waiting in line. If someone even reached for my rifle without first asking permission, I would yank it away from him and loudly declare "whadya think you're doing!" What the guy did to the OP was insane. Anyone who hasn't learned that you don't touch other people's stuff, especially guns, without permission, has more than just a screw loose. If someone actually had the fortitude to tell me to lock back the bolt, I'd snap back that this is not a firing range and he isn't an RO, politely stopping short of saying "mind your own 'bleep' business".

The last gun show I went to was about 15 or 16 months ago. At one table, I picked up a couple of Beretta 92 mags that were priced pretty decent, said "I'll take these," and held out some bills. The guy behind the table turned his back on me, picked up a cell phone, dialed, and sat down in a chair to chat. So I put them back where I found them on his table and walked away.

An aisle or two away I saw a couple more mags in a glass-topped case with no price visible. I asked the price, and that guy leaned back on the table behind him, unwrapped a sandwich, and started eating without saying a word, just kind of glared at me.

Bought a couple of factory mags from Midway a few days later. I have no idea why people who aren't interested in making a sale rent tables and haul their stuff in.

What kind of control do you have over your gun when someone can casually take it out of your hands? I would have had the fellow on the floor missing a few front teeth.

A little clarification is in order. ...
The guy did not take it out of my hands, it was still secured in mine. He just reached out and opened the bolt while I still had control of it. He was just another gun-show groupie and not associated with the show. We were 50FT. from the front door where security was stationed. In fact, I am good friends with the security guy as well as the promoter. I always clear a weapon in front of security. ....

Now, in preparation to going to a show, I clear and check and in the case. When I get there, I take out of the case, clear and check again. If there is a magazine, I check it and it goes into my pocket. All the time, maintaining muzzle control.....

As far as not thinking fast enough to react, guilty as charged but this guy really took me by surprise. ....

Be Safe !!!

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'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

I always thought it was standard protocol to have the action open on any gun that's not intentionally loaded, save those that don't lock open.

The goofiest thing I see at gun shows is a lack of guns. I don't go anymore. I'm tired of the countless tables of bayonets and other knives, swords, utensils, the quilting and computers tables and the one table with the 5 boxes of primers that look to be 50 years old.

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Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza.
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The problem, as you so eloquently put it, is choice.
-The Architect
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He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.
-Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

Yes, certainly. I guess I should say that the standard is that the action isn't SHUT. Open or removed, or chamber flagged... not "cocked and locked".

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Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza.
---
The problem, as you so eloquently put it, is choice.
-The Architect
-----
He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.
-Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

The only time I've seen this happen was at a range at a shooting meet. The owner went off at the guy who picked up his rifle and pulled the bolt, but the offender in this case was the Range Safety Officer, who'd called ceasefire and clear chambers just a few minutes before.

Range rules do differ from folks just mulling around, or standing in line, waiting to get into a gun show.

At the range I shoot at, there is a rule that requires chambers to be open, firearms lying down with muzzles pointing down range when the range is cold. But, there is an overriding rule that NO ONE shall handle ANY FIREARM (other than loading magazines) when the range is cold. While it's not good to violate the former rule, the later rule absolutely takes precedent.

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